Gigs with Ivan

Florence and the Machine – live in Bournemouth

Florence and the Machine at Bournemouth International Centre 6.2.2023 with Willie J Healey supporting

This is a rescheduled gig from November last year. I did have a look at getting tickets then but without enough urgency before it sold out. Unfortunately Florence (Welch) found she had been performing on a broken foot and the Bournemouth gig was rearranged to tonight, a Monday, not so popular, so some tickets became available and here we are. Sold out again though.

With the travelling about I do for gigs and the fact that Bournemouth often misses out on the bigger tours, I thought Florence and the Machine seemed a good option. Ever since she/they appeared on the scene I’ve had a casual interest, nearly going to a few gigs while abroad but left it or they sold out (Amsterdam; Chicago). I did see the first tour for the Lungs album in September 2009 at Bournemouth O2 Academy… hmm that really is a while ago now.

The latest album, Dance Fever, is a good listen but my familiarity with the material is limited to that and Lungs along with singles played on the radio. They/she are always a good watch live on tv so here goes.

I noted earlier that Florence’s ‘Machine’ is a constant of Rob Ackroyd on guitar, Tom Monger on harp and Isabella Summers on keyboards with an additional selection of changing musicians. Isabella Summers has clearly been an essential ingredient of the sound and the band. That still leaves me wondering if we should refer to seeing Florence as seeing the band or Florence Welch. I thought it was the former but after tonight I realise it’s more the latter.

Bournemouth International Centre – The BIC

It is what it is. An unremarkable, tolerable, adaptable Windsor Hall holding up to 6,500 and selling expensive unremarkable beer, if you want to queue for ages for your prize in a plastic beaker, including the ghastly two pinter.

Plenty of eateries and bars to choose from out there in Bournemouth if you are out for a full evening, or weekend even. Sixty Million Postcards is 100 yards away (I still like a yard 😁) and the lovely Brewdog is a short walk, as is the big Wetherspoons, The Moon on the Square. If you’re happy to pay BIC prices you may as well go somewhere smart with some style and atmosphere: the 1812 bar over the road. Go for it. Have a cocktail.. it might even still be happy hour if you’re lucky.

More seasoned ale drinkers may like to enjoy Poole Hill Brewery or the wonderful selection in the Goat and Tricycle, worth the half mile walk from the BIC.

Tonight’s Gig

We are in for the support act Willey J Healey. This feels more of a delaying tactic than a warm up. Just not my sort of thing I guess, describing himself as a ‘marriage between guitar and funk’. Maybe better in a nightclub gig. There’s a whiff of Jamiroquai in the air.

It’s all standing downstairs this evening, so the support slot is at least a chance to shuffle around and find some shorter people to stand behind – a giant returns from the bar and his partner smiles as we quickly shift. He is the biggest, tall and solid, guy I have ever seen. I seem to have homed in on front right again here. These days the speakers are often so elevated you don’t have to worry about being blasted if too near the front.

Florence and her machine appear just after 8.30pm. The audience is strong on women, many young groups. Lots of flowery head bands and long hair. When the show starts I can hear people around be singing every word, even on the new album tracks. Florence is their icon and through the set her words and attitude illustrate her role model persona.

The band, her ‘machine’, could not be more backstage. She has most of the stage to dance and float around with the other musicians tucked away to each side, a backing vocalist to front right of the band. Florence has a stunning green fairytale sparkly dress on which flows with her. The rear stage centre piece is a huge mass of imitation candles in a feature resembling a gothic horror filmset. Aside from that no gimmicks, no exotic lightshows, tickertape or fireworks. This show is Flo.

Twelve tracks from the latest album Dance Fever, which everyone seems to know well: even I have rehearsed that one in anticipation. Ship to Wreck is the first diversion to earlier work and it’s only half an hour in before my top pick The Dog Days are Over (I used to have four little beauties and mine are I think) from the first album Lungs is welcomed with a roar.

Florence appeals for some time to put the phones away and absorb the moment – love the people around you. It works. A few songs on and the phone free atmosphere is allowed to evaporate and later it’s positively phones out time with Florence wanting to see them.

Morning Elvis is a new album goody, followed by two from the High as Hope album: June and the eating disorder anthem Hunger. Great song.

The crowd are absorbed in the glowing Flo performance. It is reminiscent of Kate Bush, not that I saw her live. At the height of the set she disappears from view. What’s happening? Then she appears, floodlit at the back of the hall, near the mix desk singing up at the balcony front row. Then a flurry of activity as some of the crowd security team come quickly through, towards us with torches and followed by the floodlit Florence. She pauses for split seconds as she skips through gracefully touching and greeting fans including the girl directly in front of us. I could have fainted for her. Her (school) friends are suitably impressed with this baptism as Flo floats back to the stage to huge cheers.

With the audience in her power now the get down low appeal comes… lower lower… blimey my knees are creaking. This stoop is the best I can do Flo… up up up… at last, before I pull anything, and this happy place is dancing.

She ends the set with one more, Restraint, from the latest album. A short break. Thanks and introductions to the band and three encores from the back catalogue: Never Let Me Go and Shake it Out from the Ceremonials album (2011) and Rabbit Heart (Raise it Up) from my more familiar Lungs album territory.

I’m really pleased I made it to this Florence experience, nearly 14 years on since that first album tour. She has earned a special place in British pop music history with her uniqueness.

(As you will have gathered, I left my pocket zoom camera at home again 🙄)

Coach Party – live in Southampton

Coach Party at The Joiners, Southampton 31.1.2023 with Girl Scout and Fiona Lee supporting

It’s Independent Venue Week and The Joiners in Southampton is as good an independent venue as any to be in. Tonight, I am following up on seeing Coach Party at Victorious Festival, down the road in Southsea last Summer.

Coach Party at Victorious Festival August 2022

They played on Saturday afternoon on the Castle Stage, the second stage, at Victorious Festival 2022. (Blog of that one here.) I’d given them a few plays on Spotify and the live set sparked more interest. I said I’d be back for more and when the tour was announced I was quick to book a Southampton trip – an hour’s trip away.

More on the 200-capacity venue that is The Joiners is here in my venue blog:

Venue Blog: The Joiners, Southampton

We get in several songs in to Fiona Lee‘s set. Guitar and voice, both with edge and power. As we squeeze through to the far left of the busy venue, it’s obvious she has everyone’s absolute attention. This is a nice surprise. Hard to believe someone like this is third on the bill in the smallest of venues. I find myself saying this a lot, but surely she has a big future?

As she finishes her last song she steps aside from the mic, so the last lyrics can just hang, unamplified in the room. So effective.

The polite tunnel appears in the small but sell-out crowd, to allow Fiona Lee out and Girl Scout to push through to the stage.

Girl Scout are four-piece band from Stockholm. I found their single Do You Remember Sally Moore last week and been playing that on YouTube and thought I didn’t want to miss them. I wasn’t disappointed. What a great set.

The guitar is intense and frantic from Viktor Spasov: he’s right in front of us so I may have over focused, but his guitar gives that ultra-live feel to the music. The band are cool and confident and the overall sound is not so reliant on a dominant vocal – Emma Janson on lead vocals and guitar can float around in the sound.

Indie pop with a punky disorderly feel and despite all bar one song being new to me, I am loving this. It is so good to turn up for support band you don’t know and think ‘wow, where did they come from!’…Stockholm. More… more.

I realise by now that the lighting is a bit too challenging for my amateur picture taking. There are three photographers clambering about in the venue, one has her own fold up stool which she briefly and apologetically mounts just in front of me. I can hear lots of shutter clicking noises (you can turn that sound off you know.. I didn’t say it) and sighs. Yes, it’s dark, backlit and they are moving very fast.

Here come Coach Party – the security man’s torch-led squeeze through the crowd, from the toilets corridor, gets them to the side of stage. It’s the second night of the tour and a second sell-out. I doubt they’ve been home but they are from just over the Solent on the Isle of Wight. ‘Dad’ is in and gets a shout out (from lead singer Jess) and I guess other friends and relatives have popped across on the ferry.

Come to think of it, there are a lot of ‘dads’ in tonight. Not just the one grey-haired gig goer in eh. A healthy mix though.

This indie-rock four-piece are loud. At a festival this must be less obvious. I fumble for my muso ear plugs as the opening number pushes the sound set up to its limits. The drummer is really hammering it out and the drum and bass dominate with some songs right into the grunge zone.

Oh Lola, their first single, released in 2019, is up the bouncy end. Three Kisses is introduced as a late inclusion in the set – when being interviewed by a national journo this week before the London gig, he said it was his favourite song, so they thought they’d better get it in or he’d be disappointed.

Their five track EP Nothing is Real, released in April 2022, is my favourite ingredient of the set, with a place for all five tracks, from Weird Me Out early on to FLAG (Feel Like a Girl) as their last, well nearly last. Everybody Hates Me brings a poppier sound to accompany what I presume are tongue-in-cheek lyrics of youthful misery. FLAG is my pick, and maybe everyone’s as it is the last song from the main set.

Jess Eastwood and Steph Norris – Coach Party

The cheers are loud. They won’t be allowed to leave just yet, although Joiners doesn’t really have the set for encore games. As they descend to the left of the stage the clapping increases. I would be rude not to pop back up. “Don’t judge us on this one”, shouts Jess before a crashing onslaught of drums, bass and everything in a burst of aggression which has a title: Parasite, a new song.

Another top evening out at The Joiners. Twelve quid. Bargain.

Long live independent music venues! #independentvenueweek2023

Gig Venue: The Joiners, Southampton

The Joiners Arms, 141 St Mary’s Street, Southampton SO14 1NS. Last updated 20.10.2024.

The Joiners is somewhere I wish I could move nearer to my place. For me it’s about an hour’s drive or I can get the train from Poole and walk the just under a mile from the central station, heading east towards St Mary’s football stadium. There are car parks nearby but I prefer the on-street parking meter bays up the top (north) end of St Mary’s Street and around the church. I have never had a problem finding somewhere to park. It’s not in the best of areas but I’ve not encountered any bother.

When the doors open the concern about having a signal, having enough battery left, finding e-tickets, emails and apps all evaporates as the person on the door usually just wants your name, postcode and to check you off the list. A traditional pen mark on the back of a hand completes the entry process – I find I can proudly sport this badge of honour for several days after, despite vigorous scrubbing with a nail brush.

The merch stand is usually just inside the door. The bar and adjacent table have a great surface, made out of designs from Joiners posters, flyers and tickets. I’d love to try that.

The bar is small and L-shaped – hard to get one of the seats, if there are any out – just couple on my last visit in October 2024, and about eight at most. A good selection of beers and ciders. My favourite is the Roadie ale – quite a rare find with a distinctive mic stand tap. Darker with malty taste. On my last few visits I have tried some of the surprisingly wide range of no and low alcohol beers. (Brewdog Nanny State a good option with low calories.)

The K’s from next to the mixing desk – January 2022

Through the bar and out to the quite narrow rear of the gig room. Funnel through there, passed the small mixing desk on your left and the room opens out just in front of the stage, across its width, and only about as deep as the stage. It’s about as compact as it gets on the recognised gig circuit.

I’m happy to lean on the rail next to the mixing desk – always a fascinating watch the mix desk. Another spot I like is by the wall to the left, by the mural. If busy, the corridor to the toilets brings you out to that left corner spot with some polite pushing through.

Spear of Destiny – from the left wall mural spot – December 2022

The capacity is 200 but that makes for a squeeze – when it’s busy, it’s hot, really steamy. Bands are pushed for space with spare equipment piled around the steps up to the left of the stage, around a cramped roadie usually. When they come on, acts have to push through the crowd and later return with the aid of a security guard to escape down the toilets corridor – a corridor lined with old posters and pictures from years of rock’n’roll here. This curtails encore games with most just taking a breather on the stage, before a last blast.

(The toilets have unisex arrangement – don’t be alarmed when standing at the urinals.)

They’ve had some cracking bands over the years, on their way up: Green Day, Muse, Oasis, Arctic Monkeys and Radiohead. All before my time near the South Coast. In September 2021, Wolf Alice played as part or their small venue mini-tour. £15 and the tickets were like gold dust. Worth keeping your eye out for the listings.

I will update these notes as I go. Links to some of my blogs from The Joiners can be found here:

– Red Rum Club

– The K’s

– Fatherson

– Spear of Destiny

– Coach Party

Showaddywaddy – live in Dorset

Showaddywaddy at The Tivoli Theatre Wimborne 21.1.23

OK OK, I know this might sound like a bit of an odd one but who can resist a chance to catch up with a bunch of friends for an afternoon and evening out and hear some live music in the company of the 70s hit machine Showaddywaddy? Go on, if you’re born in the 60s you know you would love it.

Ten top ten singles to their name and one number one: Under the Moon of Love. Many of their hits are cover versions of 50s and 60s songs which they gave their visual upgrade to with all that colourful teddy boy gear and lots of ‘do-wopping’ and coordinated dances. Top of the Pops, Seaside Special and appearances on kids tv shows were their bread and butter and I remember them especially as Look-In Magazine regulars. A classic publication of the day.

They formed in Leicester in 1973 and hit the big time after appearing in the New Faces tv talent show final, as runners-up.

While the Showaddywaddy beat goes on, there is only one original member left of that band of eight. Mostly alive but not playing with the band. Drummer Romeo Challenger is all that remains in the current line up of six. Still attracting the audiences with a busy touring schedule mind – tonight’s show is a sellout.

The Tivoli Theatre, Wimborne

The East Dorset town of Wimborne rarely troubles the gig tour planners, aside from this lovely old theatre which specialises in mature tastes, well vintage. Many great tribute acts of classic rock artists appear. I used to live in Wimborne and so I’ve kept my eye on it. I suspect that give it another ten years and I’ll be here once a fortnight writing a ‘no haired gig going blog’ as opposed to grey haired experience.

I’ve seen Hugh Cornwell here a few times, Glenn Tilbrook and in more recent years From the Jam and Bootleg Blondie (with Clem Burke from Blondie proper). Then there was the evening with John Lydon experience – Johnny Rotten in Wimborne, wonders never cease.

After this afternoon’s trail through several lovely town centre pubs – Oddfellows, Kings Head, Olive Branch – and the excellent Nusara Thai restaurant, it’s something of a relief to get to the front door of the Tivoli on time. Half the gang are in already – the Plymouth green army are Wimborne visitors today – while I have been led astray by ‘The Dove’ and Jeanette so we are the stragglers. (The Dove says he doesn’t get enough mentions in my blog.)

The Grey-Haired Gig Goer, The Dove, Sally & Jeanette rocking on a Saturday night – outside the venue

Wimborne is a top place for a pub tour with plenty to wander to in the compact town centre. The Taphouse (one for after) with its ale choices is my pick, just 50 yards along from the Tivoli, opposite The Man in the Wall (one of the best Wetherspoons). Wimborne’s downside, or maybe saviour, is transport links – no train station and buses a bit limited, although it can work from Poole on the local buses (3 or 4 More Bus from Poole Bus Station, my choice tonight).

This all-seater art deco style theatre has 483 seats and serves as a cinema and venue. It opened in 1934 and has benefited from a new frontage and canopy in recent years. You can get a decent view from anywhere, even the back row of the balcony where we are tonight.

The Tivoli bar at the interval. It was rammed prior to the gig

The bar is small, like a village cricket club. I think just have a drink before you get here if you want one. Pop over the road. It must be quicker. You can order half-time drinks. Who does that though? Go when the doors open if you want to use the bar or try the café as you go in on the left. It’s all part of the same thing.

Tonight’s Performance

Showaddywaddy are on promptly. I sort of imagined a Jimmy Savile voice intro like on Top of the Pops… noooo.. but they are on.

When they play Heartbeat (Buddy Holly cover) it is greeted with warm applause. So familiar to several generations. Maybe A Little Bit of Soap is more the light-hearted pop record territory they are known better for. These are the early set tunes.

The band dance in harmony to order, swinging guitars in time from occasionally. Professionals. Immaculate suits.

There are four guitars and a bass together with Romeo on drums. That makes a solid noise. For some songs Romeo comes out front while another takes to the drum kit. Also one turns saxophonist at will.

First big Top of the Pops classic for me is Pretty Little Angel Eyes. Come on! Singalong but you can remember them all. I guess When and Three Steps to Heaven are the other top hits from the set. Romeo is respectfully introduced, due to his original hallmark and plays up front for a bit on alternative percussion.. conga drums maybe.

By this time the rear balcony patrons are out of their seats jigging about. In the row in front of us a man and his wife are up dancing. Enquiries reveal the chap is 81. I’m thinking in two decades time if I am dancing here to anyone I will take that as a gig-going victory. Rock on sir, and madam.

Last song. Everyone knows this one: Under the Moon of Love. Then back for an uncomplicated, prompt single encore, one they wrote themselves: Hey Rock and Roll, which reached no.2 in the UK Charts in April 1974. Arms are waving.

A lovely evening. Enjoyable, almost predictably so. That’s how professional these guys are. So that it gig 1 for me in 2023 done. We are off, slowly, and running.

The audience spills on the street outside – even Wimborne can look chaotic and busy sometimes it seems. I grab a pic without getting run over. Then it’s in for a few pints in The Taphouse, then it’s off for the bus back to Poole, leaving our Plymouth friends to last orders.

Paul Heaton live in Birmingham – on his own at this one

Paul Heaton at Resorts World Arena Birmingham 8.12.2022 with Billy Bragg supporting

Paul Heaton has always appealed to me. A football fan from Hull, with a great voice who likes a pint in a boozer. He put money behind the bar in various pubs around the country to mark his 60th birthday. A few years before that he played 16 pubs in 18 days cycling between them to celebrate bikes and supping ale. Add to that a price limiting ticket, record and merchandise sales policy and this is sounding like very decent bloke. Tonight’s tickets: £30 for standing and any seats throughout the arena.

I thought his early band The Housemartins were great. What wonderful album titles: London 0 Hull 4 and The People Who Grinned Themselves To Death. I’d already gathered some EPs and singles and saw them live in Bristol Bierkeller in March 1986, before that first album in October that year. I was on a block release training course in Weston-Super-Mare at the time. I never could have imagined would be seeing so many gigs in Bristol 35 years later. I remember Heaton getting the numerous football fans in the audience to throw little metal badges at him and I parted with a West Ham one.

When they split in 1988, The Beautiful South was born. I found myself buying most of their albums – hard not to like their great vocals and easy-going melodic pop songs, with two male vocalists including Paul Heaton (and Dave Hemingway, drummer in The Housemartins) and a succession of female vocalists. The first of those, on albums 1-3, was Briana Corrigan, after which Jacqui Abbott took over. (Briana was going out with one of my work mates in Coventry back then and they married later.)

Surprisingly though I didn’t see The Beautiful South until November 1995, coincidentally at the NEC Birmingham where tonight’s gig is (under its new name). I bought a ticket last minute as I was single at the time and a bit bored. One of the Beautiful South fell off the back of the stage and injured his arm near the end.

Then in July 1997 I saw them at a Crystal Palace athletics stadium with Texas, Teenage Fanclub and Gabrielle. It was standing, hot and I remember being a long way back. The band packed up eventually in 2007.

When Paul Heaton was playing a support slot on Squeeze’s 2012 tour and I was miffed to arrive to find him doing his last song, Caravan of Love (the last song at tonight’s gig as well). This was at the O2 Academy Bournemouth and one of those early start and finish weekend gigs which allow the youth in after for their ‘proper night out’ once the oldies have cleared of home to bed 🙄

And so you can see why I jumped at a chance, while on this trip to Brum, to pop in to see Paul Heaton, and it was just Paul Heaton as Jacqui Abbott was ill. Refunds were offered if anyone wanted them when Jacqui’s absence was confirmed. Judging by the crowd this wasn’t taken up by many.

Tonight’s Gig

We stopped at The Moxy Hotel (I recommend it – good chain) by the lake just opposite the Arena and I was pleased to catch up with old Coventry buddies Rob and Nikki in the Moxy bar beforehand.

The Moxy Hotel – Birmingham Resorts World Arena

The Resorts World Arena is a big, cavernous place with a capacity of 15,685 but I suppose it does the job. I bought the tickets late so we are a fair way back but it’s easy.

The support tonight is Billy Bragg. Quite a bonus – another guy I used to see a lot, usually festivals and supporting, in the 80s and early 90s.

He has a fair-sized band with him, including three on the brass instruments, but still with that clear Bragg voice not lost at all in it. Bragg jokes about his age, our ages – everyone in here is of an age – but when he gets going, he still sounds like he is ready to take on the world. (The week I was writing this, he was outside Dorchester Hospital, as the snow fell, with his guitar to sing for the striking nurses – no bottling his enthusiasm for a revolution despite his earned wealth eh.)

I was surprised how much I knew of his set considering he had left me behind after the first three albums. For me he couldn’t have started with anything much better: Shiiiirleeey… well that’s what I know it as but of course it’s called Greetings to the New Brunette. (The suburb of Shirley is not far from the venue. It used to have a restaurant with the amusing name of The Shirley Temple. Now closed.)

Billy explains himself and contextualises all his songs. He is enjoying this big audience and the reaction is good although I can’t see much of a revolution starting in this room.

The best of the nine-song set is the beautiful Levi Stubbs’ Tears, with that brass. Sexuality gets an update and more explanation. It seems even Billy wasn’t inclusive enough when he wrote that one.

There is Power in a Union is back with angst as a song of the 2022-3 Winter of discontent. Not much power in the one I was in and left in 1986. Enough said.

He finished with Waiting for the Great Leap Forward. He’s been waiting a long time now. Good to see him again anyway.

On to Paul Heaton, with band but without Jacqui Abbott…. carrying on regardless eh. He thanks us for hanging in there with him and explains how various band members will try and fill in for Jacqui. Some noble attempts but for me it underlined how much the songs are Paul Heaton.

It’s ten minutes short of a two-hour set and the quality and quantity of material he can draw on just means the time flies.

I love the decent five song helping of Housemartins: Happy Hour, Me and the Farmer and the wonderful People Who Grinned Themselves to Death being those high spots.

With the NK-Pop LP having been released recently I was expecting more that the three songs we here from that. Maybe this is Paul Heaton backing off the new duet songs as Jacqui is ill. So 13 Beautiful South songs.

It’s pop. It’s familiar. My favourites? Prettiest Eyes, Keep It All In and Old Red Eyes is Back. (YouTube at gig.) There is also the gruff vocal of A Liar’s Bar which holds a special appeal to me – I used to try and sing it with my roommate Sean after our drunken nights out on our Weston-Super-Mare block release course.

Prettiest Eyes has that oh so poignant line as 60th birthdays loom:

“Sixty 25th of Decembers
Fifty-nine 4th of Julys
Not through the age or the failure, children
Not through the hate or despise
Take a good look at these crow’s feet
Sitting on the prettiest eyes”

(Prettiest Eyes: Rotheray/Heaton)

I was wondering if I would find this gig just a bit too light and poppy but you can’t help get carried along with it all. These are happy sounds and for me nostalgic sounds. The new album is good listen but this wasn’t really about that. It had that small gig in a big place feel with both Bragg and Heaton really engaging on a chatty level with the audience. The test is would I go again tomorrow – certainly yes and I’d take a standing spot near the front.

(A visually dry write up I’m afraid. No camera with me and too far away to do much with my phone which is surely up for replacement. That is my 2022 gig going wrapped up. 100 nights of live music. I doubt I will ever top that……..well?)

The Cure – live in Birmingham…again

The Cure at Utilita Arena Birmingham 7.12.2022 with The Twilight Sad supporting

The Cure must be the most successful band that I have followed since my youth. They have become an enormous global success with a steady recording output until 2008. Thirteen studio albums. From the light and poppy singles to works of swirling atmospheric depression. Their set lists for the last ten years have been an absolute feast, with long sets packed with gems: two or three hours’ worth.

It is that last ten years where I started seeing them live regularly – six times now since Reading Festival in August 2012. In December 2014 it was the relatively intimate Hammersmith Apollo – one of three nights of three-hour sets (21.12.2014). I remember wondering where those three hours evaporated to. An incredible gig.

Robert Smith – The Cure – Hammersmith Apollo

Two years later I was at the Wembley SEE Arena gig (1.12.2016) – a heavy session and no food before that one I recall (‘Eating is not cheating!’). Then in July 2018 there was the 40th anniversary of The Cure gig in Hyde Park.

Hyde Park Cure anniversary gig – Hyde Park 2018

A blisteringly hot day and England beat Sweden 2-0 in the World Cup. I watched it in an upstairs room of the Stanhope Arms near Gloucester Road tube station. This meant missing several of the support bands but The Cure set itself was perfect. A 10/10. I remember walking away from that thinking I would never see a better Cure gig. That remains the case today, despite the recent wonderful performances. (I had my best camera at that one and the memories adorn my wall at home.)

Next was a Pyramid Stage headliner slot at Glastonbury 2019. Another great show. As I return to Birmingham, my home for seven years in the 80s, for the December 2022 show, I am reminded of my first Cure gig, at Birmingham Odeon for The Top album tour on 29.4.1984.

I got the bus into town on my own from my shared rented student house in Balsall Heath, in the hope of picking up a ticket outside for the sell-out gig. Even touted tickets were reasonably priced in those days. I found a lad who asked if I was looking for a spare ticket – he only wanted face value for it, a mere £4.50. I gratefully gave him a fiver as I had no change. I went in and sat down and he later appeared from the bar, as his seat was next to me, and gave me the 50p change saying he didn’t want to make on it. Turned out he was on the dole and looking for work. A rock’n’roll angel eh.

The support band that night were And Also the Trees, who also played one of the support slots at the 2014 Hammersmith gig – they’re old friends of The Cure.

Tonight’s gig

The Utilita Arena Birmingham (ex-National Indoor Arena) is just north of the nightspot area of Broad Street, along the canal, just to the west of the city centre. So much choice of where to eat and drink first. It’s a 15,800 capacity venue, tonight with the main floor all standing. It can squash down to 2,500 with the use of moveable partition curtains and flexible seating.

Tonight we are seated just a few rows up from the floor in a forward left block. This gives an excellent view over the heads of those in the standing area. (Tonight we are Plymouth Dave, Ann, John ‘The Dove’, Jeanette and Sally. Glastonbury 2019 Cure gig revisited.)

The support band are The Twilight Sad, from Kilksyth, Scotland and their lead singer does sound exceptionally Scottish. They were one of the support bands for The Cure at Hyde Park 2018.

What a great sound. Haunting indie rock and very Cure compatible. A fairly short eight song set but highly enjoyable. I grabbed one phone video: That Summer at Home, I had Become the Invisible Boy (My YouTube channel link). I was surprised to find they have made five albums, the first in 2007. I’d certainly look out for them again.

It is another wonderful Cure show that plucks 28 songs from their 13 albums in a set lasting just over two and a half hours. I left my pocket zoom camera behind for this trip – a shame in some ways but I don’t supposed I could better my previous pics. Hence just a few phone shots to illustrate this performance.

A more elevated view at the Utilita Arena

Pictures of You was the second out of the box – a beauty. There are some early classics which particularly grab me: Three Imaginary Boys from that first album, Play for Today, Primary, and Shake Dog Shake, the only track tonight from The Top album that was the tour I first saw them live on back in 1984. Excellent sound as the guitars echo and swirl, filling the arena.

The band leave the stage after Endsong but there is plenty still to come. They return with I Can Never Say Goodbye from their long-awaited forthcoming album Songs of a Lost World. In interviews Robert Smith talks about several family losses in recent years and this song is clearly hugely emotional for him to deliver. A new album coming is a real treat.

“From out the cool November night;
Something wicked this way comes;
To steal away my brother’s life;
Somеthing wicked this way comes;
I could nevеr say goodbye” (The Cure 2022)

Robert Smith says thank you, smiles and makes loving, appreciative gestures to the crowd, but remains calm, moving slowly around the limits of the stage. He is the only original Cure member but it is his show and his band.

In this first encore, or part two, one of my favourites – Charlotte Sometimes – and I guess the song and single of my Cure record buying youth: A Forest. Brilliant.

They leave the stage again. Is that the end? No. Back for a second encore, or third part, to finish. Some more poppy numbers including Friday I’m In Love and Boys Don’t Cry to end. Robert Smith has sung all night but he can hardly speak at the finish, his voice croaking and squeaking. He made it though and once again we are grateful. It was a bit more than £4.50 this one mind.

Glastonbury Festival 2022 – my wander through it

Glastonbury Festival, Pilton, Somerset, England 22-26 June 2022

Glastonbury eh. It’s a monster; a monster with many heads, but a lovely beast. It isn’t all about seeing bands in a conventional way, although the tented stages give a bit of that. Sitting around in the sun, with a beer, in a field and hundreds of metres from a stage can be as enjoyable as seeing a gig on the front rail – that sense of community and the big event.

The site is now so enormous it’s best not to race around too much or you’ll just get frustrated. I thought it was huge in 1987 on my first visit, but there were only 60,000 people then: there are three or four times that now.

So much is written about this monster-fest and there is so much coverage to be seen live and on iPlayer that these notes can only introduce my limited meander through, with a photo selection to illustrate. Every festival goer carves their own path through the musical mayhem and other entertainment. I couldn’t even begin comment on the art, performance and entertainment around every corner.

Armed with the Glastonbury app and ‘Clashfinder’ I picked my way around a course of about 40 plus miles over five days, sometimes with part or all our group of 10 glamping just off the site, with my wife or on my own for those ‘I gotta see it’ performances. You need to plot your own course. Back home later I watched loads more on iPlayer and there are always regrets but you can’t be everywhere.

We got in place on the Wednesday. It was a ‘find your feet day’, get your wristbands day and get your bearings. No music to speak of.

Thursday was once again frustrating (I was here in 2019 and 2017, the last two). Thousands of people trying to see some bands, any bands, but the site isn’t geared up to deal with these huge demands until it all opens up and the main stages and tents get going on the Friday.

A few drinks and a wander to the BBC Introducing Stage. Unfortunately, that afternoon introducing dance music – not for me. Then the entire site started to descend on a stage tent at the central green where Mel C was appearing! I turned back early on for some more dance music torture. A few of the others joined me and after a few songs on the little stage opposite with real guitars, again we went on a long hike, this time down to The Truth Stage in the South East corner to try and see Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs. The constrained area with high metal walls was really busy and just kept filling. Another stage to the right, separated by a bar and more metal sheeting, blasted out hip hop, so one ear was getting one band and the other the sound we’d come for. We gave up after a handful of songs and made our way back through a maze of dance stages and temporary clubby type arenas and settings, including The Meat Factory, a flaming derelict building with sounds pumping out of it. We weaved our way back through the jaw droppingly imaginative visual experiences and the mind blowingly awful audio. A lot of people like it. Each to their own. I don’t get it.

Friday

The Other Stage overwhelmed for the opening band – The Libertines

Friday was the grand opening and I headed for The Other Stage for The Libertines. A very big crowd and moving around to get and retain a view was hard going…but we were off and running. Three days of wandering, sitting, standing, laying, drinking. Wonderful.

A slow shuffle around to The Other Stage and out, got me to the main Pyramid Stage for Ziggy Marley. Lovely atmosphere. Better view. The large crowd dancing. I should have stayed but missed the end to see the start of Blossoms‘ set back on The Other Stage. I’ve seen them several times, including here on this stage in 2017. A happy mood. I missed the excitement of my wife Sally being talked at from the stage after she offered lead singer Tom Ogden some suncream – we met him later to add to the moment.

I did leave early though as I was intent on finding new boys Inhaler in the John Peel tent. A great set – well supported and one of my Friday highlights. I caught their breakthrough song on my phone which is here on my YouTube Channel: My Honest Face. Unmistakeably
Bono’s son but he doesn’t mention it. Great band. Seen them twice since.

After that I went down the front at the Pyramid Stage for
Wolf Alice – squeezed right in surround by young women enjoying some laughing gas. The band had been tweeting their anxiety for the previous 24hrs having been held up in the US with flight delays. They made it. A bit of light rain didn’t dampen a tremendous late afternoon performance.

Ellie Rowsell – Wolf Alice – Pyramid Stage on a damp afternoon

I moved back up the hill a bit to find friends and watched Robert Plant & Alison Krauss. Enjoyed the sounds but not a sniff of an old Led Zeppelin song so I was a little disappointed given the stage, slot and audience.

Sam Fender followed on the same stage. Two really good albums to work with now, so he can deliver a longer set of substance. A singer songwriter with some rock’n’roll power. Missed the end – I’d seen him before – as another bucket list band that had dodged me for years was on the increasingly favoured surroundings of the John Peel tent: The Jesus and Mary Chain. A glorious dark mix of feedback and indie hits. I sat down against a side pole later on in the set and got bitten by something on the back of my knee which led to a nasty reaction and a leg next day like an elephant. Still, I got to hear April Skies, Some Candy Talking, Just Like Honey and Happy When it Rains live.

I had decided I would go and see Foals on The Other Stage to finish off Friday. I watched about four songs and thought these are not for me. I’d been oversold this one. I trudged off to see Paul Heaton and Jacqui Abbott but as I neared the Acoustic Stage everyone came pouring out. Messed up there.

Saturday

Today was a lot of wandering, drinking, grazing and people watching but not much serious band watching. I didn’t have much of a plan. I was led to the packed and overflowing John Peel tent to find young singer songwriter Holly Humberstone – an exceptional talent which the bulging tent occupants were clearly already aware of. I sat outside the tent and couldn’t see her even on a neck craning forage in – just heard her. You do need to get in place early, especially if an artist on a small stage pulls a big crowd in.

After that I went wandering. I found Egyptian Blue on the BBC Introducing Stage. I’d seen them supporting at The Wedgewood Rooms, Southsea and well worth a look, now with increased confidence.

I eventually made the hike over to The Park Stage. Radio 6 darlings Squid played to a big crowd and I couldn’t resist being involved.

Next a beer in one of the bar tents up there – more live music inside – and back to the mainstream, The Pyramid Stage, and found some of my festival buddies for a really top-notch Noel Gallagher and the High-Flying Birds set – a smattering of Oasis songs brought on the singalongs.

After that, an hour’s gap until Sir Paul McCartney….but everyone just hung on to their spaces. I had to see him didn’t I – never thought I ever would. Over the next hour the whole area just got busier and busier. A trip to the gents, no liquids now – hold your place. It was rammed. Nowhere to move to.

A huge set with guests Dave Grohl and Bruce Springsteen. It was well paced with some remarkable Beatles songs played in these incredible surroundings. I was so pleased to have been there and it was genuinely emotional. I don’t know about McCartney but I was knackered by the end. My legs had given up – effect of the Jesus and Mary Chain insect bite kicking in – and I had a go in somebody’s chair who took pity on me.

Sunday

A new start on Sunday and first band we watched was on The Other Stage – armed with lightweight camping chairs, ice cream and cartons of chilled white wine, three of us pitched up a fair way back, with a bit of room. A good spot to relax for three sets in a row: Sea Girls, Lianne La Havas and Declan McKenna.

Back to The Park Stage for me after that as I went in search of Jarvis (Cocker) followed by Jack White. The area was swamped but I found a spot to gaze at these legends.

Then my focus of the day: I had to get to see Aussie punk rockers Amyl and the Sniffers. Their Comfort to Me album is a belter and I had played it to death. Back to the John Peel Stage nice and early and I went down on the front rail. Great position. Great atmosphere and considerable excitement.

Amy Taylor of Amyl and the Sniffers – John Peel Stage – festival highlight

I even took a video to capture the moment. A top moment: Guided by Angels. (My YouTube Channel link.)

I felt I had done what I came for and nothing could better that for the day. Weary, I headed back via the closing set on the Acoustic Stage: Suzanne Vega. I saw her on the main stage here in 1989. It was the first time I ever saw double – drinking white wine in the heat – and after watching the ‘Suzanne Vega twins’ for about half an hour I had to crash out in our tent pitched in view of the stage. It felt appropriate to give her my more sober attention some 33 years later. Very good and all the well-known songs.

That was it. Glastonbury 2022…well my wander through the monster and snapshot of it. I saw one of the four headliners and there must be 20 major bands I wish I’d seen….in fact I’d love to have another go with the same line-up.

The Sea Girls – live in Southampton

The Sea Girls at O2 Southampton Guildhall 23.11 2022

I am running a bit behind with my trail of gig blogs. I don’t do every gig I go to. A few repeats at familiar venues and local pub gigs which made up my 100 nights (including some days) of live music in 2022, mean the build up to the Christmas and New Year gig desert has been busier than it may appear. The end of November/ early December gig surge did include a newer band though – worthy of some attention – The Sea Girls.

It was bright sunny day at The Other Stage at Glastonbury. Perched in camping chairs, eating ice cream and drinking cartons of chilled white wine and some distance from the stage but they got me up to listen and look harder.

The Sea Girls – The Other Stage – Glastonbury 22

An odd name for an all-bloke band based in London – they aren’t all from there originally but nothing close to the sea.

Formed in 2015, their first album Open Up Your Head was released in 2020. Bit of a hard time to push on but eventually a second, Homesick, appeared in March 2022. Both reached number 3 in the UK album chart. Their style of indie rock does lend itself to some singalong moments and frontman Henry Camamile does get a crowd going. He’s joined by three others on guitar and back vocals (Rory Young), bass (Andrew Dawson) and drums (Oli Khan).

On this November night in Southampton I was here with my wife and her son…we were all going to see The Sea Girls a year or so back in Portsmouth but they had a Covid induced postponement and they never rearranged that gig as the venue, The Pyramids, closed for a refurbishment and subsequently stopped putting on live bands.

We delayed our arrival at the Guildhall, having been attracted by an extra exotic beer or two in the excellent Belgium and Blues bar nearby. I only discovered it on a recent visit and updated my O2 Southampton Guildhall blog, which has more detail on location, pre-gig amenities and the building. This meant missing out on the support band – not something I do often.

Full house – expectant crowd at The Guildhall

A big crowd in – a sell-out – but standing level with the mixing desk still gave us a bit of room. It was also easy to get a bit further down the side and up against the wall to take a video or two without getting in anyone’s way.

An air of celebration when the band came on. A bit of a relief to get this tour on. Damage Done from the 2020 album to open, followed by Lucky from the 2022 album Homesick. That balance was maintained throughout with about seven tracks played from each album plus some extras such as early singles and EP tracks.

The Guildhall’s maybe now legendary ‘no crowd surfing’ signs appear to be complied with. Instead, shoulder clambering was the gymnastic feat of the evening – you don’t get that at an old punk gig these days. I feel I may have missed out on this activity. Can’t see me starting now mind. Maybe I could do one crowd surf as a grey-haired gig goer, just for the bucket list. Not at the Guildhall obviously – there are those signs.

I grabbed a camera video – new camera – getting hang of it now – of one of their typically anthemic numbers: Sick, which begged a singalong. (Link to my YouTube Channel – Sick)

Although I was only familiar with the 2022 album, I liked all I heard – they have a good set full of songs without any padding. What tonight did underline for me was, like for like, how much more I enjoy the indoor tour gig experience as against the festival set. Granted I wasn’t sat in the sunshine with a carton of chilled white wine or an ice cream but it lacks the intensity of a dark November urban night out.

Yes of course an encore – this is a crowd-pleasing band who don’t shy away from smiling and enjoying the moment. First Daisy Daisy, a slower one from a 2017 EP. Next All I Want to Hear You Say and the best, or certainly the most popular, Call Me Out to end, the main track on that 2017 EP.

Yup – a good night out and a band to keep an eye on. No ice creams at this one though.

The grey-haired gig-goer – ice cream, wine and The Sea Girls – Glastonbury 22.

Placebo – live in Portsmouth

Placebo at Portsmouth Guildhall 18.11.2022 with Cruel Hearts Club supporting.

Portsmouth Guildhall is an impressive building but it’s rare for me to catch it in daylight, with my handful of visits being in the evening.

Some more notes on the venue can be found in my blog of my last visit here to see Starsailor.

Tonight’s gig saw us visiting the Brewhouse and Kitchen brewpub beforehand, just a few hundred yards off the Guildhall Square and along passed the closer Wetherspoons option. The bars in the venue are fine if heading straight in.

Placebo gigs

My first encounter with Placebo was way back in August 1997 at the V97 Festival near Leeds, during their early days – the Nancy Boy years. I’ve been buying their albums ever since, continuing even after the music streaming options appeared. Their latest album, the one being toured, Never Let Me Go, lived up to the wait. Favourite tracks for me I guess are the single Beautiful James and Surrounded by Spies.

It wasn’t until 2009 that I went to one of Placebo’s own gigs though: Bournemouth Opera House, now the O2 Academy. This was quite small intense gig – I had to join the fan club to get a ticket – fuelled my enthusiasm for some more adventurous trips to see them. In November 2013, we travelled (with now wife Sally) from Brussels (where we were on holiday) to Cologne to see them at the Lanxess Arena. Then in December 2016 we went to the 3 Arena in Dublin to see them. Both great trips.

Brian Molko – Placebo – Lanxess Arena Cologne 2013

Placebo at Portsmouth Guildhall

We are in the balcony for the show tonight. Top view down over the stage. Cruel Hearts Club are the support. A rocky, a bit punky, female trio. Bright and visual.

The no photos posters were all over the place and warnings are made over the speakers and also with messaging on stage. Similar had been appearing on social media and in emails to ticket holders in the days before the gig. I’m happy to go along with these things.

Comments made by main man Brian Molko at the end if the gig made it clearer that he really was a bit nervous of this sort of close-up gig these days and this may tie in to the phone and camera thing. I don’t buy it that phones and cameras are necessarily a bad gig thing though. They fuel interest and enthusiasm for bands via YouTube and other social media, particularly if you can’t get a ticket or get to a gig. It does drop the nut a bit on my blog material mind but hey ho.

The set tonight was heavily focused on the new album and brilliantly delivered – top sound – loud and sharp. Molko’s voice so consistent and the defining sound.

Brian Molko (guitar and vocals) and Stefan Olsdal (bass and vocals) are the original Placebo members, going back to 1994, with the rest of the band being touring members….even extending to a second bassist allowing Stefan to switch to guitar. Stefan and Brian started the band after meeting at an American school in Luxembourg, which may explain the Brian’s American sounding vocals.

The brilliant Too Many Friends is a highlight inclusion outside of the new album – one of their best ever songs. Infa-Red another perfect addition for me. I used to blast this song out again and again driving to work when it was released in 2006.

The set is a wonderful showcase for the new album but the encores could have been an opportunity to hear some more old faves maybe. Instead, the covers of Kate Bush’s Running Up That Hill and the new cover of Tears for Fears’ Shout and one more, Fix Yourself, from the new album, Never Let Me Go. Still a top performance – up with the best I have experienced this year, but I left just wanting more from the encores to make it a 10/10.

Brian and Stefan say goodnight (photo from a friend)

A snap of the empty stage as I left, gives the balcony view.

Gig Venue: O2 Guildhall, Southampton

O2 Guildhall Southampton, West Marlands Road, Southampton SO14 7LP

My recent visits to Southampton Guildhall, my first since back pre-Lockdown, have calmed my negativity about the sound at this venue and I will get back into going there a bit more. After numerous echoey sound problems I had tried to dodge the place if possible.

With a capacity of 1749 standing (with a small rear seated balcony of about 230) it’s a good size to get decent bands. It’s not too far to travel to for me. For so many known bands’ tours, Southampton O2 is on the circuit, like Bristol, when Bournemouth, my local one, is not.

The Guildhall venue does unfortunately have the shape, high ceiling and often the acoustics of a large Victorian swimming pool – stone wall echo as a special feature. On my last two visits pre-‘plague’, I got as far to the front as possible as that seemed to improve the sound – a Band of Skulls gig here introduced me to that idea. Absorb the sound before it hits a wall.

However, recently (Future Islands in November 2022) I found the sound was fine up in the balcony, with an added high level central speaker, suspended from the ceiling near the back, so projecting to the balcony.

The view from up there is a little distant but unobstructed and sometimes these days a seat is appreciated. There is no bar up there but there are toilets.

Downstairs the two main bars are off to each side and are separate rooms which I like – chattering minimised. Usual O2 limitations but pleased to see some decent bottles in the fridges: Tribute and Wytchwood. When I saw Motörhead here in 2011, pre-fancy earplug days, I hid in the bar for songs I didn’t know to save my ears for the best, peering out stagewards. Possibly my loudest gig experience ever. Overkill was a chest and brain pounding monster.

There is another small bar at the back of the main hall, behind a room divider and opposite that bar is the large merch stand.

The building has a very grand classic exterior, although built in the 1930s as part of the large collection of civic buildings – grade II listed and refurbished in 1989.

It’s a short walk uphill from the main train station or if driving my preferred car park is across the park from the venue: Grosvenor Square multi-storey or the flat one next to that if not full. I noticed a one-way system has made it harder to find than last time I was here.

My pre-gig pub recommendation is the Belgium and Blues bar. Astonishing beer menu on tap and in bottles. Plenty of other choices along the Above Bar Street that one is on. One place I haven’t tried which I noticed had appeared on my November ’22 visit is Preez – the little bar on the square, just opposite the front of the Guildhall.

Recent visit (My Blog link)

Future Islands (November 2022)